Petcock Replacement Filter // 1980 xs650 special

[MountainXS]

Hey All,
New member and new to wrenching. I've been browsing this forum for a minute now and the advice has been invaluable. I recently picked up a 1980 xs650 special for a few hundred dollars. Well intact, but it had clearly been sitting in storage for years (decades?) Compression was solid, so I changed the oil and pulled the tank for a deep clean and rust removal.

While cleaning out the petcock, I noticed a substantial amount of sludge and varnish. Most of the parts are intact, but the fuel filter was brittle and damaged. Anyone have a good resource for the replaceable petcock screens/filters? I've spotted full rebuild kits with gaskets and o-rings, but not specifically filters.

Here's a look at what I'm working with. And the type of filter I'd like to find.

Any and all advice is appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[jetmechmarty]

I really don't know the difference between a petcock for a 1980 Special and a 1981 Special. I would have thought them to be identical. The 1980 Special is single petcock on the left, correct?

https://www.partshark.com/oemparts/a/yam/5004209cf8700209bc786f16/fuel-tank

The net for the '80 is NLA. The later one is available and they're proud of it.

Welcome to the funhouse!

 

[jetmechmarty]

I might be more help a bit later. I have some stuff lying around I can check and see what fits what.

 

[MountainXS]

Hey! Thanks for the link. And yes, it's the single petcock as illustrated. The 1981 assembly looks identical to what I'm working with.

$30 for the net is a little spicy. But glad to see it's available.

 

[jetmechmarty]

I'm short on time at the moment, but I might have a petcock that looks like yours. Maybe I can try the late net in the early petcock if I have one. I dug up some of that stuff as I need a rebuilt vacuum petcock. If I don't respond soon, send me a PM.

 

[jetmechmarty]

The petcock on the left is 1981 and later, or at least that’s what is in my bikes. On the right is what I believe is what you’re dealing with. The nets do not interchange.
The 1980 tank is the same as 1981, 82 & 83.

My suggestion is use a later petcock. Bolt spacing is the same. There is a very good tutorial in the tech section on rebuilding them. I would try to get a good used one and rebuild that. Yeah, spendy, but an important component.

IMHO, the aftermarket manual petcock is of poor quality. That’s the case with the one I have although it’s working.

 

[MountainXS]

Thanks for this. Great call on the later year petcock. Seeing as the '80 filter is NLA.

I'll hunt for that (the '81-'83) and see what I can find, before yielding to the siren song of contemporary aftermarket stuff.

 

[MountainXS]

Thanks for the tip on the 1981 xs650 petcock. I tracked down an original for less than the cost of a net. And it’s in better condition than the one I pulled off the tank.

Onto tank rust removal and a thorough carb cleaning.